A compelling and engaging omnichannel strategy is critical to garnering customer acquisition and loyalty — something most retailers and brands are well aware of by now. A consistent brand experience both in-store and online ensures strong digital and foot traffic, while promoting a brand reputation that’s reliable and consistent. There are plenty of examples of a thought-out omnichannel approach leading to better business results, yet the road to achieving this isn’t always so clear.
My 20-plus years of corporate retail experience — building leadership and sales teams for brands like Buckle, Billy Reid, and Lucky Brand, then consulting as head of stores and e-commerce — helped me to understand exactly what customers are looking for on either side of their screens. They want the convenience and wide selection of online shopping, but still crave the level of service and confidence in fit that are historically unmatched by anything but the in-store experience. The best strategies will blend digital and physical in a way that’s engaging and unexpected. Each customer interaction needs to offer something special while reaffirming the expectation of a consistent and tailored experience.
With peak season around the corner and businesses ready to battle for attention, how can we as retail professionals create the most memorable experience for our guests? Here are a few strategies that play a part of the best omnichannel approach:
- Create a novel and engaging experience to drive in-store traffic. This means making your location a destination for people to visit. Create a space where customers can interact with your product and get a fun takeaway they can’t replicate somewhere else. Try garment customization through an embroidery or painting station, a photo booth activation, or an exclusive offer guests can only receive when shopping in-store.
- Create exclusive offerings both in-store and online to cross-promote both channels. The goal here is to suggest and sell online-only items to your in-store customers while encouraging online customers to visit your store for exclusive offerings. When optimizing your online presence, be sure to highlight offerings that are only available in-store. When working with guests in-store, be ready to show off online-only items similar to those they’re looking for and offer to waive shipping when they add an online item to their in-store transaction.
- Stay aware of emerging tech, but understand what your customer actually wants from technology. Identify what technology will move the needle and what problem it’s going to solve. This could mean digital tools to visualize fit better, enabling shoppers to build outfits and see different garments combined, or intelligent chatbots to quickly answer questions. Think about how those same digital tools can also cross-over into physical experiences. For example, the ability to digitally build outfits with an in-store guest could help broaden your fitting room and stockroom.
- Leverage technology to replicate the same look, fit and feel you would experience in-store. If online shopping is going to match the advantages of brick-and-mortar, it must replicate the fitting room experience accurately and easily. Look for virtual try-on options with a numerical approach combined with their generative artificial intelligence to provide the most accurate simulation of a customer’s body and the fit of the garments they choose. If shoppers are in a hurry or want to know how an online-only item would fit before purchasing, you could offer to take two quick photos of them from an in-store iPad and quickly show them the digital equivalent of the fitting room — all without untying their shoes.
As more retailers sort out their strategy to digital and in-person shopping, a strong omnichannel approach can set your store and your brand apart. Sticking to a strategy that best serves your customer and makes the experience seamless and enjoyable will help to ensure they keep coming back.
Danny Pippin is chief operating officer at Couture Technologies, the leader in AI-powered virtual fitting technology that enables shoppers to try 3D virtual garments onto personalized avatars that mirror body measurements.
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